popeyPC NERDS! I have an old-ish desktop PC. MSI H61M-E23 Mobo, i7-2600 CPU, 8GB RAM, GTX 960 GPU. It's mostly just Steam and some VMs that it's used for. I make little incremental improvements over time, and this machine has suited me fine for quite a while. It's a bit noisy though. I suspect the CPU fan is the main culprit (likely?). Would like to make it quieter. Low cost suggestions?
Tyler Brown@popey Are you using the stock CPU cooler, or something else? A good heatsink/fan combo can make a huge different. Also changing out the case fans could help.
@Condoulo Not the stock cooler. I bought a newer fan a couple of years ago. This is it. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005J2IS3U - It has no case fans :S. I guess I need two, one front, one rear?
@popey Is this in a low profile case?
@Condoulo No, mini-tower.
@popey Do you have a link to the case?
@Condoulo No, it's a generic 2011 case. Very much like this https://mastodon.social/media/7WHyU9clcUH4jmwXQ2A
@popey This is what I use:, the 120mm fan helps keep it quiet http://amzn.to/2plaRsj
If you don't have as much room in the case, there is also this:
http://amzn.to/2pkXrwn
If you can get some case fans that would also help a lot. I'd look into what size of fan you need. Noctua makes some really quiet fans.
If you don't have as much room in the case, there is also this:
http://amzn.to/2pkXrwn
If you can get some case fans that would also help a lot. I'd look into what size of fan you need. Noctua makes some really quiet fans.
Diego Leal@popey Keep your PC clean; have a balanced, slightly positive air pressure fan configuration; use larger fans with lower rpms; and of course use less fans.
@diegoleal It has no case fans currently, just the ones on the CPU, GPU and PSU.
@popey you need to exhaust the hot air, otherwise you cpu and gpu fans will run faster. Also consider a larger heat sink and again, larger fans with low rpm. Same applies if you go with water cooling as you would still need a fan for that (better use a quieter one than not)
Terence Eden@popey blow out dust with compressed air. Retighten screws. Bit of foam padding on the case + feet. Those are my go-to el cheapo suggestions.
Kyle Fazzari@popey 1. Have you tested that assumption by unplugging case fans? 2. I assume your case fans are plugged directly into the mobo, and the mobo has temperature sensors/speed control?
@popey Assuming those check out and the CPU fan is the noisy one, do you have room in your case for an upright heatsink? Something like https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099 .
@popey Also worth checking your CPU temperature. Perhaps your thermal paste (or application thereof) could be improved.